Penny-pinching Bears must pay Smith

By Connor Byrne  |   Friday, February 23, 2007  |  Comments( 2 )

Chicago Bears
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According to several reports on Thursday, the Chicago Bears and head coach Lovie Smith have reached a standstill on contract negotiations. Smith, who led the Bears to a 13-3 record and an NFC title in 2006, is seeking a deal that would raise his pay significantly. At the moment, Smith is the NFL's lowest-compensated head coach.

Despite that, the organization oddly seems willing to let Smith enter the 2007 campaign as a proverbial lame duck, thus allowing him to possibly vacate the Windy City next winter.

In his three-year head coaching career in Chicago, the 48-year-old Smith has been brilliant. He's guided the team to a solid 29-19 regular-season record and a 2-2 playoff mark. Because of a surprising 11-5 record in '05, Smith earned coach of the year honors. He darn near did it again this past season, too.

Prior to Smith's reign, the Bears made the postseason just twice between 1994 and 2004. The team's two head coaches during decade-long span, Dave Wannstedt and Dick Jauron, accumulated a combined regular-season tally of 68-92. Only once during that era did the Bears rack up double-digit wins in a season (the Jauron-led '03 club went 13-3).

Therefore, one has to wonder why the Bears aren't ready to give Smith what he's earned. When an unproven college coach receives a massive salary to leave Division I for the NFL, something is wrong. Of course, that's referring to new Falcons rookie sideline general Bobby Petrino, the former University of Louisville head coach who will earn $4.5 million annually in Atlanta.

Right now, Smith's the best football coach Chicago has seen since Mike Ditka, who led the team to its most recent Super Bowl during the 1985 campaign.

Smith, the former St. Louis Rams defensive coordinator, has turned the Bears into one of the fiercest teams in pro football. His biggest weakness, perhaps, was an unwillingness to bench struggling quarterback Rex Grossman last season. However, in fairness, Smith stuck to his convictions, and the team did earn a berth in Super Bowl XLI.

"Based on where talks have gone recently, Lovie will be a free agent after next season. It would take an unforeseen breakthrough for this to get done. And we are being more than reasonable in this market," said Smith's agent, Frank Bauer.

If Smith doesn't get a contract soon, rest assured that he will explore the open market next offseason. And when a team like, say, the New York Giants comes calling, Smith will definitely answer.

Don't say you weren't warned, Chicago.

cbyrne@realfootball365.com.

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